Folding gate



M, MARTINEK FOLDING GATE Oct. 1l, 1932.

Filed July 3,

ya Z3 l ww W Patented Oct. 1l, 1932 UNITED MICHAEL MARTINE, oF LYoNs, ILLINoIs, ASSIGNOR To; WESTERN WIRE @sinon WORKS, INC., or eIIICAGo, ILLINOIS, A ,CORPORATION on ILLINOIS oLnING erntenV Application med Jurys, 1931'. i sensi ne. 548,625'.

This invention relates to' 4'folding gates, and its primary object is to provide anew and improved folding gate which is provided with strengthening means tol assure rigidity and ease of operation of the gate andA at the same time eliminate all side-sway in the gate Vertical barsV v17 havingilat bars 18 pivote'd when extended and which is movable with the gate during the folding and extending movement of the gate. Y

1U A further object of the invention is to provide a folding gate which is arranged in a pocket, and which is provided with means for adjustably xing the gate in the pocket.

A still further object is to provide a gate which has a frame which is provid-ed with means cooperating therewith for adjust-ably securing the frame in the pocket; which has a reinforcing member arranged in the top thereof to prevent side-sway of thek gate; which yhas a reinforcing member hinged at the top thereof for engagement and cooperation with an adjoining gate, which has a track foldable outwardly when in .use and upwardly against the fra-me when not in use.

Numerous other objects and advantages will be apparent throughout the progress of the following specification.

The accompanying drawing' illustrates a selected embodiment of the invention and the views therein are as follows: v

Fig. 1 is a detail elevation partly in section showing the manner in which the: improved gate may be arranged in a pocket concealed in awall. f

F ig. 2 is a Vertical sectional view onV the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to gate in collapsed position. Fig. 4 is a detail elevation partly in seco tion showing the top support, and interlocking connection between cooperating gates.

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4. 1

Fig. 6 is a detail plan rsection showing the 1-l showing gate in folded position inthe pocket.

Referring to the drawing-l0 designates a wall, j amb, partition, or other surface which may be provided with a pocket 11 intofwliich a metal frame 12Inay be arranged. "o Y Theframe 12 may comprise'an end mem# and may be folded "up in 'pair of) lugs 29'so that when the s berl and upperand lower liend- 15 respectively;A These latter members are preferably made of channel bars eo'nnected a'ny desirable together their corners in manner, such as by welding A gate 16 comprising a' plurality of spaced thereto as indicated at A19'to provide the con"- Some Vof the vertical bars 17' are provided with 'rollers 20 which are adapted tow rollin a channe'lishaped track 21 which is pivtally :isL

connected to, thelower channel frame Hiern- `berv 15 aS'in'dicated at Thisbiotton track may beffolfded down into the position shown in F ig.v yl. to permit the the position shown in Fig. 3 when the p'oc'let' 1l vand be concealed fromjjview when not in use, tl`1erebeing frame sti'lfening ineinbers23 connected to the upper andf lower members 14 and Vwhichmay bey reinforced" by al channeli inentber 25. Thus, the gateis securely hell` in position inthe frame 12,; permittingallthe gate to roll thereinl gate is in collapsed p'osition; The gate, when folded", is'l adapted' to fold up into the frame and entend4 into the bars 17 and the"cooperatingdiamond lattice members a be .24rgid1`y te the Suppo'rtnsfraie 121 The' frame 121 with the folding gate fixed pulled outwardly frmi `the 'pocket onthe frame but holding the'endbr thereto is s'et inthe" pocket1 Il'asaunit, there being afined member'26 arranged in theback of the pocket by which7 members such as nuts 27, .are ca r'rled. These nutswre'cleive Fupper and lower screw members 28 which pass through alined openings rinlug's 2 9 which are fixed. to the upper and lower frame mem? h ber`s14 and l5. A collar 30 is fixed to each screw member 28 and is arrangedibetweenia rcrew'Interng- Ybers are threadedly"engaging the nut's 27, lthe frame and'its i adjusted toproper position. The Vvertical bars17I may have" a fitting 31 iXed'to-tl1e'tfop thereof, vided withlalhoriz'ontalfslot 32 through'wliich a leXibleI-elatfively widestee'l tapevv 83 passes.

cooperating gatel` I ii'ay be The end of the steel tape is bent over and fixed to the outer vertical bar 17 as indicated at 34, Fig. 5, and is threaded through the vertical bars as clearly shown in the drawing. Some of the outer vertical bars 17 may be provided with an additional member 35 having relatively wide upper slots 36 for receiving a ointed bar 37, the joint being indicated at38, Fig..1. The jointed bar 37 has its one end fixed to the member 35 as indicated at. 39, permitting that part ofthe bar, to the, right of the pivot 38, to fall downwardly in the position shown in Fig. 3 when the gate is collapsed. This bar isl adapted to pass through similarly shaped openings provided in fittings 35 fixed to the verticalbars 17 of an adjacent or adjoining gate when the secondv gate kis adapted to abut thereagainst. This barf connects therebetween.

The steel tape 33l provides a reinforcing.

member at the top of the gate and as this reinforcing member is fixed to the end vertical bar but slidably mounted with reference to the-other bars, the tape is free to move inwardly and outwardly from the pocket 11. Aftrack or guide 40 is arranged in the upper 'corner of the frame 12 and guides the tape when the gate is moved to collapsed position.

A handle 41 may be fixed to the outer end bar 17 but has horizontalslidable movement therein to permit the grip portionl42. of thel handle tovlie relatively flush with the outside of the end bar. 'j

In operation, the folding lgate is arranged in position in the frame 12, theend memberV 24 being fixed to the frame. The bolts 28 are varranged in place and the entire frame land its cooperating gate isV inserted in the pocketl in a wall. The bolts 28 are adapted to engage the nuts 27 thereby permitting the frameto be supported in position, the bottom lugs '29 engaging thefioor of the pocket and holding the frame the required distancev fromy the floor. The bolts 28 may thus be operated to. bringV the kframe and gate to proper posi- Vtion insideof the pocket. The lower track 21 is thenmoved from the position shown in Fig. 2 to the position shown in Fig. 1, thus making a -lowertrack in which the lgate operates.

When the gate is pulled outwardly from the position shown in Fig. 3 to the position shown in Fig. 1, the first bar 17 to which the reinforcing member 33 is attached, pulls the reinforcing member outwardly as the fittings 31 on the bars slide along. When the gate is in extended position, the reinforcing member 31 will be in the position shown in Fig. r1. When the gate'has reached substantially the end of its outward travel, the outer end of bar 37 is swung upwardly on its pivot 38 until it is in alinement with a slot provided in the fitting 35 of an adjacent gate. This fconstruction makes a rigid connectionbetween adjacent gates and also rigidly supports the gate when in extended position. When the gate is closed and brought to collapsed position, the outer end bar 17 is merely pushed inwardly. This inward movement `causes the vertical bars to come closer together and slides the reinforcing member inwardly. As the gate is being collapsed, the corner member or track 40 engages the outer edge of the reinforcing member-33 and causes it to Vextend downwardly into the pocket as shown in Fig. 3. Viflien a gate is applied to a relatively large opening, it may be made in two sections, one on each side of the opening. After one section is closed, the bar37 will slide out of thevco- Y koperating section and then would beV down in the position shown in Fig. 3. After one entire section has been closed, the track'is then raised upwardly as shown in Fig. 3 and locked in position by means of a pivoted latch 43. Vhere more than one section is employed, Athe other section is collapsed in the same manner, it being understood, however, that only one bar 37 is required for adjacent sections. The entire gatemay'be folded in the pocket and if desired, a hinged plate 44 may be provided for closing the pocket as shown in Fig. 6. v

' The invention .provides a folding gate having a reinforcing .member which eliminates all side-sway when the gate is'in extended position. The improved gate further is provided with` meansk for, providing an additional reinforcement vfor engagement with an adjacent gate.. Means are vprovided for connecting the gate to a fixed frame which may be inserted in a pocket or recess provided-in the wall. The screw members,- hold the'frame in position in the pocket and permit adjustment to true up the gate and make it operate properly. The folding track provides a rigid'base support and is easily and quickly moved out of position when not in use. The folding track, in. combination with the reinforcingY member, and the foldable bar provides rigid reinforcement for the gate preventingit from swaying inwardly or bulging, a condition which is prevalent in conventional gates, particularly in gates for wide openings. w Y

Changes may be made in theform, construction, and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages, andthe right is hereby reserved to makeall vsuch changes as fairly fall' withinv the scope of the followingtclaims. Y The invention is hereby claimed as follows: Y .y Y

1. The combination of a wall having a pocket` therein,v a frame Aremovably inserted in said pocket, -complementaryiscrewj meinbers arranged in saidpocket and ongvsaid frame and engageable with each other for holding the frame in the pocket, a folding gate operatively connected to said frame and adapted to be foldingly received in said pocket, a bottom track pivotally connected to said frame and adapted to be swung upwardly across the opening in the pocket when the gate is in folded position, and a hinged plate for closing the opening to said pocket.

2. The combination of a Wall having a pocket therein, a frame removably inserted in said pocket, complementary screw members arranged in said pocket and on said frame and engageable with each other for holding the frame in the pocket, a folding gate operatively connected to said frame and adapted to be foldingly received in said pocket, a bottom track pivotally connected to said frame and adapted to be swung upwardly across the opening in the pocket when the gate is in folded position, a hinged plate for closing the opening to said pocket, and a reinforcing member arranged at the top of the gate and movable with the gate for preventing side-sway of said gate when in extended position.

3. A folding gate comprising a plurality of vertical members pivotally connected together, a flat, iexible horizontally positioned continuous steel reinforcing member connected to one of the vertical members at the top thereof and slidable relative to other of said vertical members, a second foldable gate of like construction and having abutting relationship with the first gate when both of said gates are in extended position, and a pivoted bar connected to the lirst gate and slidingly engaging the second gate to brace both of said gates when in extended position.

4. The combination of a wall having a pocket therein, a. folding gate receivable in said pocket and comprising a plurality of vertical bars pivotally connected together, a member fixed to one of said vertical bars and slidable relative to other of said bars whereby the gate is reinforced to prevent side-sway thereof when in extended position,

said reinforcing member being movable in-V ivardly and outwardly and adapted to extend down into said pocket when the gate is moved to folded position, and a curved member arranged in said pocket and acting as a guide for Said reinforcing member.

5. A foldable gate comprising a plurality of vertical bars, diagonal lattice bars pivoted to the vertical bars, said vertical bars being provided with horizontal slots at their upper ends, a continuous single flat fiexible horizontally positioned steel member arranged in said slots and fixed to one of said bars and acting as a reinforcing member for said gate to prevent side-sway thereof,'a lioor track, and rollers running on said track and carrying the gate, and means at one side of the gate for guiding the steel member during folding movement of the gate.

In witness whereof, I haveV hereunto subscribed my name. Y MICHAEL MARTINEK. 

